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COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNICATION AND GRAMMARGRAMMAR

BUILDING THE BRIDGE FROM ACCURACY TO FLUENCY

Rob JenkinsStaci JohnsonStaci Johnson

G T hi St lGrammar Teaching StyleThere are many ways to approach teaching There are many ways to approach teaching grammar structures.

Which one do you use most often?

• Explicitly teach the structure and have students do practice exercises in one context.

• Explicitly teach the structure and have students do practice exercises in various contexts.

• Introduce a context and pull the structure from the context • Introduce a context and pull the structure from the context. Practice the structure in that context.

• Teach structures only when they occur naturally in a lesson.

Why do you like your approach?

A M i f l A hA Meaningful Approach

Give students

h ll i t iti challenging opportunities

to be successful

in their language-learning experience so they develop

confidence and confidence and

become independent, lifelong learners.

Challenging Opportunitiesg g pp

Teach students to:

think critically

work cooperatively

transfer language and thinking skills to any taskg g g y

Five Essentials for Teaching GrammarFive Essentials for Teaching Grammar

1. Establish a context and purpose

2 Provide students with building blocks and skills they 2. Provide students with building blocks and skills they need

3 Provide mechanical and meaningful tasks that allow 3. Provide mechanical and meaningful tasks that allow students to practice the structure

4. Ensure that students are successful 4. Ensure that students are successful

5. Allow students to use the structure in creative and meaningful waysmeaningful ways

5 E ti l f T hi GLearning

5 Essentials for Teaching Grammar

1. Students learn better within a context.

2. Students learn differently.

3. Students learn better in manageable chunks.3. Students learn better in manageable chunks.

4. Students learn better by doing activities that move from controlled to open-ended.controlled to open ended.

5. If students learn how to learn, they will acquire grammar better.

1 St d t l b tt ithi t t1. Students learn better within a context.

2 Students approach learning differently2. Students approach learning differently.

R h (i l di R iff Ei l B b d Researchers (including Reiff, Eisler, Barbe, and Stronck) have concluded that in a classroom, the students would be approximately:pp y

25-30% visual25-30% auditoryy15% tactile/kinesthetic25-30% mixed modalities

Therefore, only 30% of the students will remember most of what is said in a classroom lecture and another 30% will remember primarily what is seenanother 30% will remember primarily what is seen.

2. Students approach learning differently.pp g y

1. We are all different. Our students are all different. Each class we teach is different.

2. If we are truly conscious of our students’ needs, our classes for the same course taught from semester to semester must change because our semester to semester must change because our students’ needs are necessarily different.

3 This means that our delivery may change we 3. This means that our delivery may change, we may emphasize different aspects of the content, and we may approach instruction in a variety of waysways.

Jenkins 2008

3 Students learn better in manageable chunks3. Students learn better in manageable chunks.

Subject + BeSubject Be ExamplesSubject e a p esI am I am a student. I’m a student.You You are my friend. You’re my friend.W W ti d W ’ ti dareWe We are tired. We’re tired.They They are thirsty. They’re thirsty.He He is at home. He’s at home.

isShe She is beautiful. She’s beautiful.It It is a dog. It’s a dog.

4. Students learn better by doing activities that move y gfrom controlled to open-ended.

Mechanical (accuracy building)

Meaningful (fluency building)

Communicative (fluency building)

Open-ended (application)

Accuracy + Fluency = COMMUNICATIONAccuracy + Fluency = COMMUNICATION

Accuracy Fluency

Communication

Accuracy + Fluency = COMMUNICATIONAccuracy + Fluency = COMMUNICATION

Communication

Accuracy + Fluency = COMMUNICATIONAccuracy + Fluency = COMMUNICATION

Communication

Accuracy + Fluency = COMMUNICATIONAccuracy + Fluency = COMMUNICATION

Accuracy Fluency

Communication

5. If students learn how to learn, they will acquire , y qgrammar better.

Learning strategies like Asking the right questionsAsking the right questions

Self reflecting

Using 21st Century technology skills

Developing skills to transition to higher education p g g

and to the workplace

W ki ith th d i tWorking with others and in teams

5. If students learn how to learn, they will acquire , y qgrammar better.

Developing Academic SkillsReading: skimming, scanning, reading for comprehension, etc.Writing: paraphrasing, outlining, summarizing, etcetc.Listening: focused listening, active listening, listening for the main idea, etc.Speaking: turn taking, summarizing, presenting, paraphrasing, etc.

G A i itiGrammar Acquisition

Exposure

Learning

Recycle and Expand

Establish Context Establish Context Warm-up/Introduction

What is his job?What qualifications does he need to do his job?What characteristics or traits does he need?

Establish Context Establish Context Warm-up/Introduction

Greg du Toit was determined to get a great shot. Mr. du Toit, who is a wildlife photographer, wanted to get pictures of h li h d i k f l i i K Afthe lions that come to drink out of a pool in in Kenya. After

trying unsuccessfully to capture the animals by just hiding near the watering hole, the 32-year-old photographer decided g y p g pto get more aggressive. So, he sat in the murky pool with only his head and shoulders above water. He spent three hours a day for twelve days in the watering hole “There were timesday for twelve days in the watering hole. There were times when I was shaking with so much fear, I had to stop what I was doing and breathe to get myself calm. I had to get the

t d I ld t th i t I h d it d lcamera steady so I could get the pictures I had waited so long for.”

P ti GPresenting Grammar

By Example

Comparing and Contrasting

By oral and/or written explanation

Using Chartsg

Establish Context and Present Grammar PointsPresent Grammar Points

Present Grammar Points: Chunking Present Grammar Points: Chunking Presentation/Practice

Using the modal can

Using the modal canSubject Modal can Base ExampleI use I can use an expensive cameraSubject Modal can Base ExampleI use I can use an expensive camera.You stand You can stand for a long time

I

can

use I can use an expensive camera.You stand You can stand for long periods

of time.He She It listen He can listen carefully

can

You stand You can stand for a long time.

He, She, It listen He can listen carefully.We take We can take risks.

He, She, It listen He can listen carefully.We take We can take risks.They drink They can drink the water.

They drink They can drink the water.

NegativeI you weI, you, we,they, he, she, it

cannot can’t use I can’t use an expensive

camera.

Mechanical Practice Mechanical Practice (Accuracy)

A. Unscramble the words and write sentences.

Example: Elizabeth / prepare / dinner / can Elizabeth can prepare dinner.

1. can / Mario / design buildings_______________________________________________________

2. they /can / take care / of children y_______________________________________________________

3. the police officer / a gun / shoot/ can ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. well / can / the teacher/ explain_______________________________________________________

Present Grammar Points: ChunkingPresent Grammar Points: Chunking

Using the modal can (negative)Subject Modal can Base ExampleI use I can’t use an expensive camera.You stand You can’t stand for a long time.

cannotcan’t

g

He, She, It listen He cannot listen carefully.We take We cannot take risks.They drink They cannot drink the water.

Mechanical Practice Mechanical Practice (Accuracy)

B. Rewrite the sentences with can't.

Example: I fix cars for Albert's Auto Repair. I can’t fix cars.

1. The secretary types 65 words per minute._______________________________________________________

2. We make hamburgers and French fries. _______________________________________________________

3. The store manager speaks English.g p g_______________________________________________________

4. The delivery person drives a van. _______________________________________________________

Meaningful Practice Meaningful Practice Mechanical/Meaningful Practice

John Mary CarlosProfession: Profession: Profession: doctor

Duties: • checks on patients

nurse

Duties: • checks on patients

receptionist/clerk

Duties: • sets appointmentschecks on patients

• diagnoses illnesses• keeps good records• prescribes medication• performs surgery

checks on patients• keeps good records• assists doctor• takes blood pressure• takes temperatures

sets appointments• keeps good records• greets patients• files• answers phonesp g y p p

D. Write sentences using can or can’t using the information above about employees at a doctor’s office.

Examples: The doctor/medication: The doctor can prescribe medication.The nurse/illnesses: The nurse can’t diagnose illnesses.

Meaningful Practice and Communicative Practice Communicative Practice (Fluency)

Think of one professions. Tell your partner two or three things you can do in order to do well at the job. Ask your partner to guess the profession(s).g ( )

Example: Student A: I can type. I can answer phones. Student B: Are you a secretary. Student A: Yes!

Now think of another profession. What is one thing you can’t do Choose something that makes it easy to guess the do. Choose something that makes it easy to guess the profession. Tell you partner.

In a group, imagine you have a company. Identify the names a g oup, ag e you a e a co pa y. de y e a es of four jobs within the company. List the duties of each job and discuss what each employee can do.

Applicationpp ca oMeaningful/Communicate Practice (Fluency)

Round RobinIn a group (4 or 5), each in turn writes one thing he/she can do. Think of something interesting or unusual you can do. (no names)

Example: I can play the flute.I can perform surgery.I can fly a planeI can fly a plane.I can do sign language.

Exchange papers with another group and identify who wrote which sentence.

O D L

E t bli h t t

One Day Lesson

Establish context

Present limited concepts (chunks)

Practice each concept mechanically

Practice concepts together meaningfullyac ce co cep s oge e ea g u y

Practice concepts together communicatively

Ch k f d t di i ti f li tiCheck for understanding in preparation for application

Apply to the students’ lives

THE BIG PICTURE!

FOR MORE ON GRAMMAR AND COMMUNICATIONFOR MORE ON GRAMMAR AND COMMUNICATION

Rob Jenkinsj ki b@ djenkins_rob@sac.edu

Staci JohnsonStaci.johnson@speakeasy.netj p y